MiraCosta College vs. CSM

Comparable Facts

Compare MiraCosta College in Oceanside, CA with College of San Mateo in San Mateo, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the tables above.

MiraCosta College is larger than CSM based on total student enrollment (11,478 students vs. 9,901 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• MiraCosta College is located in Oceanside, CA (Large Suburban setting); College of San Mateo is in San Mateo, CA (Small City setting).
• MiraCosta College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. College of San Mateo is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: MiraCosta College 18:1; College of San Mateo 24:1.

Cost details

• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at College of San Mateo are 8.9% lower than at MiraCosta College ($31,288 vs. $34,328).
• Out-of-state tuition is 16.8% higher at CSM than at MiraCosta College (about $1,634 more per year; $11,384 vs. $9,750).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at MiraCosta College than at College of San Mateo (81% vs. 80%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by MiraCosta College students is 14.3% larger than aid received by College of San Mateo students ($5,013 vs. $4,386).

Admissions details

• SAT or ACT scores are open admission at both MiraCosta College and CSM.

Loans and repayment

• Among federal student loan borrowers, MiraCosta College graduates have a $2,500 lower median loan debt than CSM graduates ($4,500 vs. $7,000).
• Among borrowers, MiraCosta College graduates have an estimated $26 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than CSM graduates ($46 vs. $72).
• More CSM graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former MiraCosta College students, three years after graduation (58% vs. 46%).

Sources: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS and College Scorecard. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.